TRUenergy Partnership

TRUenergy Partnership

In 2010, IER signed a Hosting Agreement with TRUenergy, a major Australian energy company with a multi-billion dollar portfolio of generation and retail assets. The agreement relates to the assembly of a Commercial Demonstration Plant ('CDP') of IER's Cat-HTR Process at TRUenergy's Yallourn brown coal-fired power station in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. As part of the agreement, the CDP will supply upgraded energy products, namely micronised coal and synthetic crude oil, to the Yallourn plant.

Commercial Demonstration Plant

By assembling and testing the CDP at Yallourn IER will save a number of years in the development timeline for its Cat-HTR Process. This is because Yallourn has the supporting infrastructure (electricity and water), feedstock (lignite) and permitting needed to continuously operate the CDP.

IER is currently constructing the CDP at its Somersby Engineering Facility. After extensive testing at Somersby, the CDP will be moved to Yallourn for continuous testing and operation. IER expects that re-assembly at Yallourn will be completed during 2012.

Power Plant Emissions Reduction

IER's Cat-HTR Process, when fully deployed, has the potential to significantly reduce the CO₂ emissions from brown coal-fired power stations. IER estimates that a significant CO₂ reduction can be achieved by using its micronised coal in an ultra super critical boiler, while producing the same amount of electricity.